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The Chinese calendar and the number 4?
I understand that in Chinese culture the number 4 is considered very unlucky. No one wants to live in a house with an address that ends in four, license plates with the number four are bad luck, and so is the fourth floor in buildings. Seems like the chinese will go to some lengths to avoid this number.
I'm wondering how do they deal with the number four when it comes to the calendar year? you can't skip having the fourth month of the year, or the fourth day of a month. What about people who will be born in 2014. Are they all going to be considered unlucky? Does no one get married in 2014? What about turning 4 years old? I'm not sure I understand how the whole thing works. Is there like counteractive feng shui or something?
The number four is pretty unavoidable. How is dealt with when it is encountered?
4 Answers
- 8 years agoFavorite Answer
Hi!
Actually they don't take it so serious....(may be some people)
As he said about the building so they will not prefer to live on 4th floor but alot of people live. If its buznis bulding and no one prefer to live on 4th so they change it to fifth so some building has no 4th floor. (only some)
just you know they will not prefer.
The reason is death in Chinese is called "Se" and four is also called "Se" even the charcters are different
- SuspendedLv 58 years ago
This is a very interessting question! I have to disappoint you though, I dont know the answer for sure. Only thing I know for sure is that if you live on the 5th floor and dont have a 4th floor, you basically live on the 4th floor, you just call it else. So, yeah, it is really unavoidable.
- longliveabcdefgLv 78 years ago
There is no way to avoid the number 4 when it comes naturally. But when they can choose, many Chinese people would avoid it as much as possible, as in choosing wedding dates, real estate, car license plate and cell phone numbers etc.
- 8 years ago
yea its kinda funny, your on the 4th floor but they call it 5th. i imagine on 4-4-2014 you wont see a single wedding in china
